Indonesia drops down, Vietnam rises on the FIFA rankings

Advancing to the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers appeared to promise a significant rise for Indonesia in the FIFA rankings. Yet, the actual outcome was the opposite.

According to the latest FIFA rankings, although Indonesia is the sole Southeast Asian representative in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Indonesia has struggled to maintain its form. Two consecutive losses to Saudi Arabia (2-3) and Iraq (0-1) caused the team to lose a considerable number of points, dropping from 119th to 122nd in the world.

Not only Indonesia, but several other Southeast Asian teams such as Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, and Timor Leste also slipped down the rankings due to losses in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Nonetheless, at the top of the region, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia continue to show stability and have even improved their positions.

Thailand continues to assert its dominance in Southeast Asian football by climbing to 96th in the world and 15th in Asia, just two places behind China (ranked 94). The "War Elephants" made a strong leap after convincing wins against Chinese Taipei, 2-0 and 6-1, adding 5 FIFA points.

Both Vietnam and Malaysia maintain strong performances in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Each secured victories in their latest matches: Vietnam defeated Nepal in both legs, while Malaysia comfortably beat Laos, moving up to 111th and 118th in the world respectively.

These remarkable results help these two Southeast Asian representatives keep their hopes alive of breaking into the top 100 globally if they continue their winning streak in the remaining campaign.

Vietnam and Malaysia still have two matches left in Group F in November as part of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This presents an opportunity for both teams to increase their points and improve their FIFA ranking. Notably, Malaysia, currently leading the group with a perfect 12 points from 4 matches, could further advance by winning the return leg against Laos.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is struggling, with no international matches scheduled for the remainder of the year. Beyond performance pressure, coach Patrick Kluivert faces intense criticism from fans demanding his resignation following the World Cup qualifying defeats.

If Indonesia does not stabilize soon and bounce back strongly in upcoming FIFA Days, it risks falling behind regional rivals and potentially losing its spot among Southeast Asia's top teams, where Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand are currently establishing clear superiority.

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